What is the Difference Between Point Mutations and Indels?

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The main difference between point mutations and indels lies in the nature of the changes they cause in the DNA sequence. Here are the key differences:

  • Point mutations are a type of substitution where one of the nucleotides in the DNA sequence is replaced without changing the overall number of nucleotides in the DNA. Point mutations can be classified into three main types: silent, missense, and nonsense mutations.
  • Indels (insertion-deletion mutations) involve the insertion or deletion of one or more nucleotides in the DNA sequence. Indels can lead to frameshift mutations in coding regions of the genome if the length of the indel is not a multiple of three.

In summary, point mutations alter only one nucleotide without changing the overall number of nucleotides in the DNA, while indels change one or more nucleotides in the DNA sequence.

Comparative Table: Point Mutations vs Indels

Here is a table summarizing the differences between point mutations and indels:

Feature Point Mutations Indels
Definition Changes in one nucleotide in the DNA sequence Insertion or deletion of one or more nucleotides in the DNA sequence
Types Silent, missense, nonsense mutations Insertions and deletions
Effects Substitution, insertion, or deletion of a single nucleotide Change in the number of nucleotides in the DNA sequence

Point mutations involve the alteration of a single nucleotide, whereas indels involve the insertion or deletion of one or more nucleotides in the DNA sequence.